A Dagger in Me
by MizzifiedSparrow
Summary: She doesn't want to live. He doesn't want her to leave. And neither of them can truly explain what's going on just yet. E/E, rating may rise because, let's face it, this isn't the most celibate pairing there is.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: It's been too long since I last wrote anything. This was inspired and heavily based off of a roleplay I'm doing with my friend, Sabrina. IloveyoumydarlingEnj-bunneh._

_Review, and tell me if I should continue, and what you think, and all that good stuff!_

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><p>Darkness was something Eponine had grown used to over the years. Nighttime in the Place Saint Michel was always dark, naturally. She took that time to walk along the river, pulling her worn trench coat tightly around herself to block the wind that whipped carelessly around her.<p>

She could pretend Marius was hers at times like this. And ultimately, that was the goal of her nighttime escapades. She could forget that godforsaken Lark had shown up and ruined her chances. Marius was hers throughout the night.

The Lark was the source of all her problems, or so she perceived. If it wasn't for her, she might've had some sort of chance with Marius. The small part of her that contained reason knew that Marius never would've noticed her. She was nothing but a pawn to retrieve the prize.

And to her horror, that prize was Cosette.

She'd hated Cosette growing up, and now she hated her even more. She'd taken away the one highlight of her miserable life, her Marius. He was her savior in times of trouble, the ray of light on clouded, hopeless days. She needed him beside her like a thirsty man needed water, and without him, she wilted, as if she were a dying flower. He was the sunlight and water in her life that kept her alive. Without Marius, she was dying.

Eponine seated herself carelessly on the river banks, pulling her knees to her chest, and resting her chin on her hands. She watched the eerily dark, swirling water of the river lash out at the banks, churning and clawing without mercy.

Her eyes remained fixated on the water. It had grasped her interest with frightening speed. At any other point in time, she would move away from the river, just to be safe, but what was safety now? What was life without Marius to her? Was there honestly a point, a reason to live, without him?

No.

She stood quickly, thinking if she didn't she would be too much of a coward to do so later. Her gaze never left the river as she advanced toward it. In moments she'd covered the remaining ground to the very edge, which leveled off into the deeper sections of water.

This would take her away from all the pain, all the suffering that Lark had caused. She wouldn't have to live with the fact that Marius could never be hers. She would be at peace at last. All she had to do was jump, and it would all be over.

"Eponine."

She turned on her heel sharply, which nearly resulted in sending her tumbling into the water. But before she could fall backward, a strong arm curled around her and pulled her from the riverbank, from the deathly waters that would save her from her suffering and grief.

"Let go of me!" she demanded, pushing her rescuer away.

A man at least a head taller than her, with dangerously cold blue eyes and sharply defined features was giving her a disapproving look. His blond hair was pulled back most of the way, and his hands gripped her waist firmly. For some reason he was familiar to her, yet it took her a moment to place why.

"You're Marius' friend, aren't you?" she questioned. "Enjolras. The revolutionary."

"I am."

She shoved him away roughly, turning her back to him and glaring at the river. "Get lost."

"Rethink your options, and perhaps I will," was his adamant answer.

She scoffed, seating herself as close to the river as she could without actually touching the water. "What do you care about some gamine you don't even know?"

"I know Marius cares a good deal about you," he tried to reason, though his voice gave away that he was irritated by how stubborn she was, which secretly made her smirk. "Suicide isn't the answer."

"Like hell you know my options!" she snapped, turning her head sharply to glare at him instead. "Get lost."

"Come with me."

She blinked. "What?"

Enjolras sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "A friend whom I share an apartment with is moving into a dorm at a medical school. I have a room to spare."

"Give it to someone who needs it," she muttered."

"That would be you."

Eponine huffed, crossing her arms over her knees. For a moment neither of them spoke, lost in their own thoughts. Why was he trying to save her? And what from? Suicide would save her from the life she was living; he was only trying to drag her back into it. The life that was a constant reminder of her unrequited love for Marius, that's what he wanted to take her back into.

But what if she could improve?

She could learn a few more words from the student, maybe to read as fluently as he did. She could lose the grungy street girl appearance, and maybe, just maybe she could have a second shot at winning Marius. At this point she was beyond desperate for that welcoming ray of sunshine Marius brought about, so desperate she would do anything for him to return to her life.

"If you're really stupid enough to bother asking, why not, I guess."

Enjolras stiffened. "I merely wish to help."

"I don't even know you."

"You follow Marius around like a lost puppy," he retorted, making her flinch. "I was bound to notice you sometime."

"Yeah… well…"

Enjolras sighed irritably, offering his hand to her. "Well?"

"… It's worth a shot." She accepted his hand and stood.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Alright, so this update didn't come as quickly as I hoped, but here you go!_

_I'm kind of disappointed in this chapter, though really couldn't think of anything else to go on. If you think their relationship is moving too quickly, just say so. I'll do what I can to slow it down. But trust me, it's going to get rocky up ahead. TRUST me. _

_Also, who's gonna see the Phantom 25th concert tomorrow? I AM! In a local theatre, yes, but live streamed from the Royal Albert Hall, so it kind of counts! I originally was only going to go because Hadley Fraser is playing Raoul (ASDFGHJKEFJIPL I LOVE THIS MAN TO DEATH, YOU GUYS), but then I heard Ramin's Phantom and kind of died of amazing-ness, so there's another reason to go! _

_Another thing. I kind of imagine either David Thaxton or Jeremy Hays as this Enjy (though in the roleplay this is based off of, Enjy's playby is Tam Mutu), and Eponine is Lydia Fairen from the Madrid cast of Les Miz. Just in case you're interested. _

_On with the actual story! Review and you get a barricade boy of your choice- besides Enjolras. And I have dibs on the resident drunk, thank you._

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><p>It wasn't long before the two arrived at his flat. To Eponine it was grand, better than any place she'd stayed in since she was a child. To Enjolras it was sufficient.<p>

"Combeferre's room is just this way," he finally said, after a reasonably awkward silence had settled over them. He walked into one of the flat's hallways, opening the second door to the left. "It's all yours."

He stood aside to allow Eponine in, who was currently eying him warily, as if he was doing something terribly wrong and she expected better of him. Though stepping inside, she marveled in the fact that this was all hers. A four poster bed sat in the middle of the room. Beside it was a dresser, in the corner was a desk. It was small, but more of her own space than she'd ever known.

It only took her a moment to regain the wary gaze and turn to Enjolras. He, in turn, furrowed his brow. "Is something wrong?"

Eponine swallowed, glancing at the bed. "You see, all men have alternate motives for lots of things. Mainly for taking in poor street girls with nowhere else to go, they do. You see them all excited to get a better life, and the next day the man dumps them back on the street. You only need us for the night, and we're of no use after."

Enjolras stiffened. "I can assure you that I have no intentions of…" He nodded in a 'you know what I mean' gesture.

"Give me one good reason why I should believe that."

"I don't love you."

Eponine pursed her lips, shaking her head. "You think they do that out of love? Well you're wrong. They don't love us. They want us, and when they're done wanting us they toss us aside like rag dolls. Love isn't a factor in any of it."

"So you're going to automatically assume that all men act in such a way?" he demanded. "Is your precious Pontmercy like that?"

Eponine scowled, folding her arms and spinning around as not to face him. "Don't talk about him."

Sighing regretfully, he reached out and touched her shoulder with one hand, which she immediately shrugged off. "Eponine, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

"I advise you shut up before I punch you or something."

He narrowed his eyes, grabbing her shoulder and turning her around. "I didn't mean to offend you. I merely wished to make it clear that I have no intentions of sleeping with you. You needn't worry about it."

For a moment she merely glared at him, completely unfazed by his apology. "I still don't believe you."

Enjolras sighed. "To be honest, I assumed as much."

She cracked a small half smile at him. "Good to know you've got the proper expectations."

Rolling his eyes, Enjolras released her shoulder and stepped into the doorway. How such a girl could be in love with a man such as Marius was beyond even his comprehension. "If you need anything, I'll be in my study."

Eponine nodded.

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><p>The morning after, Eponine wondered where exactly she was. She was curled up in a strange bed, fully clothed. It took her a moment to remember Enjolras, and their conversation. She rolled onto her back lazily, staring up at the ceiling. She couldn't remember having slept so well in a long time.<p>

A knock came at the door. "Eponine?"

"Mm?" was her groggy reply.

Enjolras opened the door and stepped inside. "Just checking in. How'd you sleep?"

Eponine rolled onto her side, lifting her eyes to look at him. "Wonderfully. I haven't slept that long since I was a kid."

"Eponine, you only slept five hours." She then recalled walking around the river late at night, and actually falling asleep much later than that.

"I'm aware."

He sighed, walking toward her and sitting beside her on the bed. She sat up, leaning against the headboard. "I still don't trust you that much," she said quietly; then with a look he couldn't quite place she shifted away from him."

"I expected as much," he said, shrugging one shoulder. "Though I don't see why you don't. I've given you no reason not to trust me."

"Instinct," she clarified. "I haven't had the best experiences with men, if you know how I mean."

Hesitantly he reached out and took her hand, shaking his head. "Trust me, Eponine. I wouldn't try and save your life only to hurt you even more."

She flinched a little when he took her hand, but to her own surprise, didn't pull away. Then quickly sat up a little straighter and pulled her hand from his, a little worried. Already she was opening up to him in ways she hadn't with anyone she'd ever known. She was relaxing, nearly at ease around him, and it felt wrong. Yet at the same time, she couldn't imagine not acting in such a way. Enjolras seemed like one of the very few people who cared about her wellbeing, and she was grateful.

On the other hand, her previous experiences with men prevented her from truly accepting that he wanted to help her, or see that he wasn't going to use her. She halfway expected him to bed her all of a sudden, despite everything he'd said. Instinct kept her from trusting, from believing that he was the revolutionary that wanted change; that everyone else saw as a savior to the poor. She couldn't, and a seemingly nonexistent part of her desperately wished that she could.

Out of nowhere, she added, "If you think being nice is going to get you a free bit of skirt, you've got another thing coming."

Enjolras nearly laughed.


End file.
